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Rengade Sufi

A blend of the modern and ancient music of India, Africa, Persia, and Asia upon a foundation of jazz, blues, and hip hop. Dawoud's work on sitar is unique; utilizing elements of traditional sitar with his own innovations.

Genre: World: World Fusion

Release Date: 2005

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ABOUT THIS ALBUM

Album Notes

Who is Dawoud and what is Mystic Jaz?

I am a New York City based sitarist, guitarist, composer, improviser, performer, producer, and poet. I am also the founder and leader of the New Culture; a group who explores and contributes to the living musical entity I call Mystic Jaz.

One of the main projects I devoted myself to is the development of techniques and innovations on sitar, including the incorporation and integration of eastern and western musical techniques; and the development of the sitar synthesizer (synthesizer that is triggered by the sitar). To the best of my knowledge, this is without precedent.

My approach to music employs elements of diverse music from India, Persia, Africa, etc., both modern and ancient, within a context of jazz (especially modal and free), blues, hip hop, and other American forms.

Far from being a mere hybrid of "world" music, Mystic Jaz is a music that produces an enlightening effect upon the mind, body, and spirit of the listener. It is my intention to extrapolate musical directions that have yet to come to pass.

I studied the various effects that the music of many diverse traditions has upon the human mind, body, and spirit. These were then incorporated into a unique form that seeks to forge ahead in the next phases of human culture and spirituality.

Many audiences have attended my performances, and listened to my recordings. All are left with the unmistakable impression that they have participated in a unique musical experience that transcends beyond mere entertainment, into the realm of the spiritual.

DAWOUD - Renegade Sufi (Mystic Jaz/self-produced) Featuring Dawoud on sitar, sitar synth, guitars, flute, raita, ting-sha, percussion, voice, programming, & assorted unearthly noises; Mordior Bamba on vocals; Tonya Ridgley on flute & vocals; Danny Zanker & Mark Hagan on basses and Ravish Momin on percussion. Local sitarist Dawoud has been coming down to DMG for many years and has even played here once. I hadn't heard of sitar synth before, but here it is. This is modern sitar music, not doing ragas and even uses some drum machine samples as percussion. The lovely chanting vocals singing Peace on Earth make this sound like it would be radio-friendly. I do like the instrumental tracks more than the vocal ones and the instrumental ones make up the majority of these pieces. On Burn the Idols, the flute and sitar play an enchanting melody with layers of echoes over a hypnotic, looped percussion groove. What I dig the most about this is the way Dawoud uses subtle layers of spacey, electronic samples that float around his central sitar playing, adding some mystery to what some might think they already anticipate will happen. Groovy mood music that is not too demanding but still is still enticing

In a world where evil forces have effectively hijacked not only the public's peace of mind but the very thing we call "religion," it is truly heartening to find spirited artists like Dawoud who understand, experience, and live true religion through their art. The essence of all religion is spiritual connectivity with the Divine; who better than a contemporary Renegade Sufi to bring the classical mysticism of Islam to the modern world?

I have tension, the musik massages it. I have pain, the musik makes me aware of it. I have much to learn, the musik enlightens me. I am not alone. There is a world of true artist whose purpose it is to heal & to inspire.
Chi
Author
A Woman Who Talks To God

Dawoud has succeeded in bringing a group together with a rather improvisational rhythmical fundament (bass, some programmed rhythms or percussion) with a very individual sound. The style is partly with an often rather loose chill-out groove, a partly jazzy improvisation.
There are improvisations with sitar and flute combined,
or sometimes sitar and acoustic guitar on one track. There are talks with a spiritual or philosophical fusion spoken word element, (on Freedom it is as a more frustrated expression –here like a kind of dub hiphop fusion). The improvisations on synthesizer, I like this less, because to me they sound rather weird and slightly off-key; for me this gives it a more melodically confusing effect. Similarly confusing to me are the low key singing on The Mathematics of Love.
One the nicest and most successful moments I think is
where bass and rhythm contribute to the evolution on Silent Sanctuary,groovy and appealing, a track with improvisations on sitar and acoustic guitar.
The electronic sequenced grooves on the last titletrack Renegade Sufi I think are also very attractive in a different, also groovy way.
All tracks hang well together with enough spontaneous variation in expression.

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